Trends in Enrollment Management 2012 Marketing and …

[Pages:16]?

Trends in Enrollment Management

2012 Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for

Master's-Level Graduate Programs

What's working in the area of marketing and recruiting for master's-level graduate programs? To find out, the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP) and Noel-Levitz conducted a national, Web-based poll to determine and report the most effective practices. Highlights from the findings: ? Among the "top 10" most effective practices identified in this study--across Carnegie institution

types, private and public--were hosting campus visits for admitted students and maintaining graduate program Web pages to attract inquiries. ? Awarding assistantships to admitted students, and following up by e-mail with students whose applications are incomplete, were also among the top practices across institution types. ? Many of the top 10 practices (at least three of the 10 for each sector examined) were not being used by a significant portion of the poll respondents, sometimes more than half. ? A significant percentage of respondents across institution types, up to 75 percent, reported using practices that most respondents of their type judged to be "minimally effective," with the most commonly-rated such practice for doctorate-granting institutions being local television and radio advertising. ? Approximately three-quarters of respondents across institution types indicated that arranging partnership agreements with businesses or agencies to provide education to employees was "very effective" or "somewhat effective" for recruiting adult learners. Included in the findings are some benchmark admissions funnel data from a limited number of respondents. In addition, don't miss the appendix, available at BenchmarkReports and Research, for ratings of the primary practices measured in this study, presented by institution type, along with name purchasing practices (i.e., the practice of purchasing names and addresses of prospective students from list services such as GRE and GMAT) and some specific findings for Business, Health, and Education programs.

See the appendix of this report for detailed findings for all of the practices examined in this study.

Contents

About the ratings .................................................................................... 3 Top 10 most effective practices by institution type ..................................... 4 Least-effective and least-used practices ................................................... 8 Sample findings for adult learners and international students .................... 12 Admissions funnel metrics ....................................................................... 13 Differences in the ratings for predominantly part-time vs. predominantly full-time institutions ......................................................... 14 About Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ................................................................. 16

Appendix/Additional findings

Visit BenchmarkReports or Research to download the appendix of this report for: Ratings of the primary practices measured in this study ............................ A2 The practice of purchasing prospective student names and addresses ....... A15 Ratings of practices for Business, Health, and Education programs ............ A17 More findings for adult learners and international students ....................... A19

Findings color key: (Carnegie classifications)

Private, doctorate-granting

institutions

Public, doctorate-granting

institutions

Private master's institutions/ baccalaureate colleges/special

focus institutions

Public master's institutions/ baccalaureate colleges/special

focus institutions

2 ? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 2012 Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs

Graduate recruitment and marketing, as a whole, appears to be an evolving set of practices.

Many of the practices in this study were also examined at the undergraduate level in a 2011 report1 from Noel-Levitz, available online at noellevitz. com/ Benchmark Reports.

About the ratings

A total of 247 respondents participated in this study's national electronic poll, which was e-mailed to master's-degree-granting U.S. institutions in March of 2012. The 247 respondents included 45 respondents from private, doctorate-granting institutions, 33 from public, doctorate-granting institutions, 130 from private master's institutions/ baccalaureate colleges/special focus institutions; and 39 from public master's institutions/baccalaureate colleges/special focus institutions.

To identify most and least effective practices for this study, as well as least-used practices, respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of practices on the following scale:

Very effective Somewhat effective Minimally effective Method not used

To report the findings as accurately as possible, the ratings in this report are based only on the first three choices: "very effective," "somewhat effective," and "minimally effective." Excluding "method not used" responses allows for emerging, less-frequently-used practices to be included in the top 10 lists, i.e., practices currently not being used by the majority of institutions but still rated "very effective" by a statistically significant number of institutions.

All of the findings in this report are considered to be statistically significant, except for the findings flagged in red on pages 12 and 13 and in the appendix: the less-frequently used practices which were not used a statistically significant number of times. The latter are included to provide a glimpse of practices that are not used very often which may still merit some consideration. It is worth noting that many of these same practices are used more frequently at the undergraduate level, at statistically significant levels. The higher number of "method not used" responses at the graduate level in response to survey items that were rated as effective by other graduate-level peers/respondents suggests that graduate recruitment and marketing, as a whole, is an evolving set of practices. It should also be noted that formal research on graduate recruitment and marketing practices has been limited to date and thus represents an emerging body of knowledge.

Note: To identify the proportion of institutions using a particular method, we calculated the inverse of those who selected "method not used." Also, to minimize the time spent completing the poll, respondents were urged to base their responses on information that was readily available to them and to skip over any items requiring time-consuming research.

Compare the findings to your own practices

This is the first comprehensive study of graduate marketing and recruitment practices undertaken by NAGAP and Noel-Levitz. Readers are encouraged to compare the findings to the most and least effective practices on their campus.

1 Noel-Levitz (2011). 2011 marketing and student recruitment practices at four-year and two-year institutions. Coralville, Iowa. Author. Retrieved from: BenchmarkReports.

? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 3

Top 10 most effective practices by institution type

The first four charts in this report show the 10 items that respondents from each of the four Carnegie institution types (see page 2) rated "very effective" most frequently among the practices that were used a statistically significant number of times. To understand how the ratings were established, see the previous page. For complete findings, please see the appendix of this report.

Top 10 most effective practices at private, doctorate-granting institutions

Private, doctorategranting

institutions

Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs-- by Percent Rated "Very Effective"

Percent very

effective

Percent somewhat effective

Offering campus visits and

Financial aid award notices sent at time of admission

75

25

assistantships for admitted

Scholarships/Fellowships awarded without a work obligation

72

23

students, and

following up by e-mail with

Graduate program Web pages to attract inquiries

65

28

students who

applications are

Campus visits for admitted students

63

33

incomplete,

were among the top

Assistantships awarded with a work obligation attached

59

31

practices for marketing and student

Open house and campus visit days to generate inquiries

56

28

recruitment across institution

Open house and campus visit days to encourage inquiries to apply

54

24

types in spring 2012.

Follow up by e-mail with students whose applications are incomplete

52

34

Percent and number of

respondents using method

65% (28)

87% (39)

98% (43)

89% (40)

67% (29)

89% (39)

91% (41)

98% (44)

Phone calls to admitted students from current students/graduate assistants

52

32

56% (25)

Search engine optimization tactics to ensure we appear as the result of a search*

0%

52

26

61% (27)

25% 50%

TM

75% 100%

In addition to showing which practices were among the top 10, this chart shows that several of these top practices were not being used by a significant number of private, doctorate-granting institutions, including phone calls to admitted students from current students/graduate assistants, used by only 56 percent of respondents; search engine optimization tactics, used by only 61 percent of respondents; financial aid award notices sent at time of admission, used by 65 percent of respondents; and assistantships awarded with a work obligation attached, used by 67 percent of respondents.

* Full wording of this item on poll was as follows: "Use search engine optimization tactics to ensure our institution, college(s), and/or program(s) appear as a result of a search."

4 ? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 2012 Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs

Public, doctorategranting institutions

The practice of sending financial aid award notices at the time of admission was used by only 59 percent of the respondents from public, doctorategranting institutions, but 94 percent of respondents who were using the practice rated it "very effective" or "somewhat effective."

Top 10 most effective practices at public, doctorate-granting institutions

Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs-- by Percent Rated "Very Effective"

Assistantships awarded with a work obligation attached

Percent very

effective

Percent somewhat effective

69

28

Financial aid award notices sent at time of admission

68

26

Percent and number of

respondents using method

91% (29)

59% (19)

Campus visits for admitted students

68

32 88% (28)

Scholarships/Fellowships awarded without a work obligation

59

33

84% (27)

Graduate program Web pages to attract inquiries

56

44

97% (32)

Outreach to our own institution's undergraduate population

47

44

97% (32)

Follow up by e-mail with students whose applications are incomplete

45

48

88% (29)

Open house and campus visit days to generate inquiries

41

59

88% (29)

Phone calls to admitted students from current students/graduate assistants

41

53

53% (17)

Follow up by phone with students whose applications are incomplete

40

0% 25%

50 50% 75%

63% (20)

TM

100%

In addition to showing which practices were among the top 10, this chart shows that several of these top practices were not being used by many of the respondents from public, doctorate-granting institutions, including phone calls to admitted students from current students/graduate assistants, used by only 53 percent of the respondents; financial aid award notices sent at time of admission, used by only 59 percent of the respondents; and following up by phone with students who applications are incomplete, used by only 63 percent of the respondents.

? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 5

Top 10 most effective practices at private master's institutions, baccalaureate colleges,

Private master's/bacc./ special focus

institutions

The practice

and special focus institutions

Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs-- by Percent Rated "Very Effective"

Percent very

effective

Percent somewhat effective

Percent and number of

respondents using method

of having current

Campus visits for admitted students

62

33

83% (107)

students

contact admitted

Phone calls to inquiries by recruiters

61

34

88% (114)

students by telephone was used

Follow up by phone with students whose applications are incomplete

60

34

95% (123)

by only 40 percent of

Phone calls to admitted students

from faculty members in students'

60

29

61% (79)

respondents

programs of interest

from private master's

Graduate program Web pages to attract inquiries

57

32

100% (130)

institutions,

baccalaureate colleges, and

Follow up by e-mail with students whose applications are incomplete

55

40

99% (128)

special focus

institutions, but 90

Scholarships/Fellowships awarded without a work obligation

54

31

53% (67)

percent of respondents who were

Assistantships awarded with a work obligation attached

53

34

57% (73)

using this practice

Phone calls to admitted students from current students/graduate assistants

50

rated it "very

40

40% (52)

effective" or "somewhat

Phone calls to inquiries by faculty members

50

38

50% (64)

effective."

TM

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

In addition to showing which practices were among the top 10, this chart shows that many of these top practices were not being used by a significant number of private master's institutions/baccalaureate colleges/special focus institutions, including phone calls to admitted students from current students/graduate assistants, used by only 40 percent of respondents; phone calls to inquiries by faculty members, used by only 50 percent of respondents; and scholarships/fellowships awarded without a work obligation attached, used by only 53 percent of respondents.

6 ? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 2012 Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs

Public master's/bacc./ special focus

institutions

The practice of having faculty from a student's program of interest contact admitted students by telephone was used by only 51 percent of the respondents from public master's institutions, baccalaureate colleges, and special focus institutions, but 95 percent of the respondents who were using this practice rated it "very effective" or "somewhat effective."

Top 10 most effective practices at public master's institutions, baccalaureate colleges, and special focus institutions

Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs-- by Percent Rated "Very Effective"

Follow up by phone with students whose applications are incomplete

Percent very

effective

58

Percent somewhat effective

29

Percent and number of

respondents using method

62% (24)

Assistantships awarded with a work

58

obligation attached

32

82% (31)

Search engine optimization tactics

to ensure we appear as a

50

25

result of a search*

42% (16)

Graduate program Web pages to attract inquiries

47

39

95% (36)

Campus visits for admitted students

46

38

62% (24)

Phone calls to admitted students

from faculty members in students'

45

programs of interest

Follow up by e-mail with students whose applications are incomplete

44

50

51% (20)

51

100% (39)

Institutional aid awarded based on student financial need

39

39

61% (23)

Web pages designed to enhance international student interest

38

24

57% (21)

Open house and campus visit days to generate inquiries

38

0% 25%

38 50% 75%

82% (32)

TM

100%

In addition to showing which practices were among the top 10, this chart shows that many of the top practices were not being used by many of the respondents from public master's institutions/baccalaureate colleges/special focus institutions, including search engine optimization tactics, used by only 42 percent of the respondents; phone calls to admitted students from faculty members in students' programs of interest, used by 51 percent of respondents; and Web pages designed to enhance international student interest, used by only 57 percent of the respondents.

* Full wording of this item on poll was as follows: "Use search engine optimization tactics to ensure our institution, college(s), and/or program(s) appear as a result of a search."

? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 7

Least-effective and least-used practices

Private, doctorategranting institutions

Local television and radio advertising was being used by 43 percent of respondents for private doctorategranting institutions, despite being rated among the five leasteffective practices for this sector.

The following charts and tables show items that respondents from each institution type rated "minimally effective" most frequently among the practices that were used a statistically significant number of times, followed by the items that were least used.

Note: To ensure statistical significance, the five least-effective practices shown for each sector exclude practices that were being used by fewer than 15 respondents. To see the complete findings, please refer to the appendix of this report.

Least-effective practices at private, doctorate-granting institutions

Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs--By Percent Rated "Minimally Effective"

Percent minimally effective

Percent and number of

respondents using method

Local television and radio advertising

68

43% (19)

Mail/E-mail to names purchased from

list vendors by industry to recruit

65

adult learners

Use social media to encourage inquiries to apply (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, blogs)

60

38% (17) 67% (30)

Use current students who are visiting their home countries to generate leads

Mobile tactics such as mobile apps, mobile Web sites, and QR codes to generate inquiries

0%

60 59 25% 50%

46% (20)

39% (17)

TM

75% 100%

In addition to showing the five least-effective practices for this sector, the table above shows 38 to 67 percent of respondents from private, doctorate-granting institutions were using these five practices. Of the five practices, using "social media to encourage inquiries to apply" was being used by the most respondents.

Least-used practices at private, doctorate-granting institutions

Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs--By Lowest Percent Using Method

Percent and number of respondents using method

Church referral program

Multiple text messages to inquiries

Referral program as part of institutional consortium

On-the-spot admissions or instant admissions days to encourage inquiries to apply Assign recruiters overseas to represent the institution on a commission basis

4% (2) 9% (4) 11% (5) 13% (6)

14% (6)

TM

Even though only six respondents from private, doctorate-granting institutions reported using on-the-spot admissions or instant admissions days, five of these six rated these practices as "somewhat effective" or "very effective," as shown in the appendix of this report. Similarly, five of six respondents gave positive ratings to assigning paid recruiters overseas.

8 ? 2012 Noel-Levitz and NAGAP ? 2012 Marketing and Student Recruitment Practices for Master's-Level Graduate Programs

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download